18th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 18th Arkansas Infantry (1862-1865) was a Confederate Army infantry
regiment
during the American Civil War
. This unit is also known as 18th (Carroll's) Arkansas Infantry. There was another regiment designated as the 18th Arkansas. When Lieutenant-Colonel John Sappington Marmaduke’s 1st Arkansas Infantry Battalion was increased to a regiment, it was briefly designated as the 18th (Marmaduke’s) Arkansas Infantry Regiment. It was subsequently redesignated as the 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment.
David W. Carroll, captain of Company A, was appointed colonel; John N. Daly, a private in Company I, was appointed lieutenant-colonel; and Robert Hamilton Crockett, a private in Company E, was appointed major. The new regiment got off to an inauspicious, indeed, a tragic start. Measles broke out among the men almost immediately, and by the time the regiment arrived at its assigned station at Fort Pillow, near Fulton, Tennessee, it had become a full-fledged epidemic. It is possible to track the movements of the regiment in April 1862 by following the bodies. The unfortunate soldiers of the 18th Arkansas were dropping like flies, and every camp between DeValls Bluff and Fort Pillow contained the graves of those who had died during the night. At Fort Pillow, the regiment was literally decimated by the epidemic. By the time the epidemic had run its course, over a fourth of the men were dead, discharged or simply stricken from the rolls. The regiment was forced to undergo a major reorganization in June 1862, to replace the vacant commissioned and non-commissioned officer slots. Colonel Carroll was forced to resign due to illness, and was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Daly.
Colonel Daly died of his wounds on October 5, 1862, and was succeeded by Col. Robert Hamilton Crockett, of Arkansas County. Sorely depleted after the events of April to October 1862, the 18th Arkansas was field-consolidated with the 14th and 23rd Arkansas Regiments in February 1863. Following the battle of Corinth, the 18th Arkansas and its sister regiments of the 2nd Brigade were ordered to Port Hudson, Louisiana
, where they formed a part of the garrison there, and endured the siege of that place. The garrison finally capitulated on July 9, 1863. The enlisted men were paroled on July 12, but the officers were sent to military prisons in the North for the rest of the war. Two audacious lieutenants of Company K, however, James W. Hellums and George P. Atkins, escaped from their captors by jumping from the Union transport into the muddy water of the Mississippi River between Napoleon and Helena, swam ashore, and eventually reached the Confederate lines.
The 18th Arkansas was involved in the following engagements:
and other Port Hudson units to form the 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. This unit is also known as 18th (Carroll's) Arkansas Infantry. There was another regiment designated as the 18th Arkansas. When Lieutenant-Colonel John Sappington Marmaduke’s 1st Arkansas Infantry Battalion was increased to a regiment, it was briefly designated as the 18th (Marmaduke’s) Arkansas Infantry Regiment. It was subsequently redesignated as the 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment.
Organization
The 18th Arkansas Infantry was organized at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas, on April 2, 1862, composed of ten volunteer companies from central Arkansas:- Company A—“Jefferson Minute-Men” of Jefferson County
- Company B—“Princeton Rifles” of Dallas County
- Company C—“Prairie County Avengers” of Prairie County
- Company D—“Pine Buff Rebels” of Jefferson County
- Company E—“Arkansas Rifles” of Arkansas County
- Company F—“Auburn Grays” of Arkansas County
- Company G—“Cotton Plant Guards” of St Francis (now Woodruff) County
- Company H—“North Fork Rangers” of Saline County
- Company I—“Ouachita Rifles” of Ouachita County
- Company K—“Jefferson Rifles” of Jefferson County
David W. Carroll, captain of Company A, was appointed colonel; John N. Daly, a private in Company I, was appointed lieutenant-colonel; and Robert Hamilton Crockett, a private in Company E, was appointed major. The new regiment got off to an inauspicious, indeed, a tragic start. Measles broke out among the men almost immediately, and by the time the regiment arrived at its assigned station at Fort Pillow, near Fulton, Tennessee, it had become a full-fledged epidemic. It is possible to track the movements of the regiment in April 1862 by following the bodies. The unfortunate soldiers of the 18th Arkansas were dropping like flies, and every camp between DeValls Bluff and Fort Pillow contained the graves of those who had died during the night. At Fort Pillow, the regiment was literally decimated by the epidemic. By the time the epidemic had run its course, over a fourth of the men were dead, discharged or simply stricken from the rolls. The regiment was forced to undergo a major reorganization in June 1862, to replace the vacant commissioned and non-commissioned officer slots. Colonel Carroll was forced to resign due to illness, and was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Daly.
Battles
With the epidemic behind it, the 18th Arkansas was ordered to Corinth, Mississippi, where it was assigned to Colonel Thomas Pleasant Dockery’s 2nd Brigade, Army of the West, along with the 19th, 20th and 21st Arkansas regiments, and the 8th Arkansas battalion. The 18th Arkansas fought in the battle at Iuka Springs, Mississippi, September 16, 1862, and then ensured its place in history at the battle of Corinth, Mississippi, October 4, 1862. From all contemporary accounts, the 18th Arkansas performed with magnificent courage at Corinth. Mustering a little over 300 men on the morning of the battle, only 43 answered the roll at the end of the day. Forming in a line of battle, the 18th Arkansas made a breath-taking charge under an enfilading fire from the entrenched Federal troops. Climbing through and over fallen timber, the 18th Arkansas relentlessly advanced right up to the enemy’s breastworks, where the withering fire literally melted the regiment away. Colonel Daly, leading the charge, sword in hand, was mortally wounded. Captain Parish, of Company H, immediately assumed command and rallied the regiment to continue the charge. Although he, too, was shot down, he survived the battle and received a meritorious promotion to lieutenant-colonel for his gallant conduct.Colonel Daly died of his wounds on October 5, 1862, and was succeeded by Col. Robert Hamilton Crockett, of Arkansas County. Sorely depleted after the events of April to October 1862, the 18th Arkansas was field-consolidated with the 14th and 23rd Arkansas Regiments in February 1863. Following the battle of Corinth, the 18th Arkansas and its sister regiments of the 2nd Brigade were ordered to Port Hudson, Louisiana
Port Hudson, Louisiana
Port Hudson is a small unincorporated community in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States. Located about northwest of Baton Rouge, it is most famous for an American Civil War battle known as the Siege of Port Hudson.-Geography:...
, where they formed a part of the garrison there, and endured the siege of that place. The garrison finally capitulated on July 9, 1863. The enlisted men were paroled on July 12, but the officers were sent to military prisons in the North for the rest of the war. Two audacious lieutenants of Company K, however, James W. Hellums and George P. Atkins, escaped from their captors by jumping from the Union transport into the muddy water of the Mississippi River between Napoleon and Helena, swam ashore, and eventually reached the Confederate lines.
The 18th Arkansas was involved in the following engagements:
- Battle of Rowlett’s Station, Kentucky, December 17, 1861
- Battle of ShilohBattle of ShilohThe Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, Tennessee, April 6-7, 1862 - Siege of CorinthSiege of CorinthThe Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
, April to June 1862 - Battle of Port Hudson July 1863
Final Consolidation and Surrender
There are few records of the 18th Arkansas after the fall of Port Hudson. They spent the remainder of the war in the Trans-Mississippi Army. The remnants of the regiment reorganized in southwest Arkansas, but were eventually consolidated with the remnants of the 23rd Arkansas23rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment
The 23rd Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:23rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment, originally C. W. Adams' 23rd Regiment, was organized at Helena, Arkansas on April 25, 1862 by consolidating Adams' and Hughes Infantry Battalions and...
and other Port Hudson units to form the 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
The 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment is separate from and has no connection to the 2nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment which served in the Confederate Army of Tennessee and separate from the 2nd Regiment, Arkansas...
.
External Links
- Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture
- The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
- The Arkansas History Commission, State Archives, Civil War in Arkansas
See also
- List of Arkansas Civil War Confederate units
- Lists of American Civil War Regiments by State
- Confederate Units by State
- Arkansas in the American Civil WarArkansas in the American Civil WarThe state of Arkansas was a part of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War, and provided a source of troops, supplies, and military and political leaders for the fledgling country. Arkansas had become the 25th state of the United States, on June 15, 1836, entering as a...
- Arkansas Militia in the Civil WarArkansas Militia in the Civil WarThe units of the Arkansas Militia in the Civil War included militia organizations to which the current Arkansas National Guard has a connection: the militia, Home Guard, and State Troop regiments raised by the State of Arkansas. Like most of the United States, Arkansas had an organized militia...